An article about feet…really?

Why on earth would you want to read about feet?
Well, got back pain? How about in your knees? Ankles? Shins? Feet? How much do you feel like getting fit when you are in pain?
Your mindset can be seriously affected by pain, or the feeling that you can’t lose weight because you can’t exercise.
Some very common causes on pain in the body can be a result of problems with the arches in your feet, and the solution may be so much easier than you think!
Flat/collapsed arched due to weightWe know that obviously the more weight we carry, the more pressure this will put on our knees, our spine, but it also affects the arches of our feet, which our our very own shock absorber evert time we take a step. The ligaments and tendons in the arches of our feet are what hold this arch in place, and when they become stretched over time, the arch flattens, or collapses, and then can’t function as a shock absorber. And this is what leads to all kinds of joint pain.
Heel painA flat arch can contribute to heel spurs or plantar fasciitis, causing pain in the heel that may extend into the arch itself. Where someone at a healthy weight could spend a day or two with their feet up and recover from this, when you are overweight/obese, the simple act of getting up and walking around makes it almost impossible for this pain to resolve on its own.
Ankle sprainsWhen the arch is in poor condition, this allows for rolling in of the ankle, making it more likely that you will suffer from sprains during physical activity. The more stretched the ligaments and tendons, the less they can support the ankle joint as a whole.
Shin splintsPain in the front, or inside part of the lower leg that starts off as a dull ache after or during exercise, and are caused by the impact of walking or running resulting in the little tears in the muscles attaching to the bone of your tibia. Add in a flat arch and you’re lining yourself up for pain.
Knee, hip, and back painAll your joints when they are in alignment work beautifully together, and can withstand great stresses and impacts with very little pain. What you may not know, is that when one joint in your body is out of alignment, that it shows out all your other joints. Your ankles rolling in affect the angle of your knee joint, which affects the angle of your hips, and spine. When that angle is wrong, that’s what leads to pain.
And here you thought that ache in your lower back was from lifting grocery bags.
So what can I do about it?Depending on the severity of your condition, it may be as simple as the right pair of shoes. Walking in flat shoes with no arch support (like sandals) is a no-no, so a pair of walking/running shoes with built in arch support insert might just do the trick! And you don’t need to limit this to when you are exercising. Wear your shoes around the house too, or any time you will be on your feet.
If your arch needs a little more work, a good orthotic insert that is fitted exactly right for you can made a big difference to pain, and you can just slip them inside your favourite shoes and go! If this still isn’t helping, a trip to the doctor might be in order to discuss your options.
Can’t exercise because of other joint pain?
Challenge accepted. Our expert trainers at OnTrack Retreats know all the tricks for tailoring exercise programs to work around old injuries or pain. In fact, the majority of people who come to us have pain at some level, and are surprised by how much they can actually do once they know how!
Take a look at our proven program and stay with us for 1-12 weeks and change your life for the long term.